31 August 2002

In the name of Allah the most Gracious the most Merciful

Press Release

Commenting on the statements delivered by Mohamed Akram Al-Zatma, who was charged with collaborating with the Zionist enemy, on his role regarding the assassination of the Mujahid Sheikh Salah Shehada, a responsible source in the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, stated the following:

The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, has followed up statements voiced by Mohammed Akram Al-Zatma during the press conference organized by the preventive security apparatus in the Gaza strip on Wednesday 28/8/2002.

An in-depth study of those statements coupled with available information point to numerous contradictions in the defendant’s statements especially his ambiguous and suspicious reference to the role of persons close to Sheikh Salah Shehada, which he did not name, in giving information on him and his moves.

The Hamas Movement fears that the defendant’s press conference and his contradictory statements were an attempt to distract the attention away from other major agents involved in the crime. Hamas declares that the file of this case is still open and is not closed yet as far as it is concerned.

The Movement asks the Palestinian Authority, which our people were questioning its security bodies’ role in protecting the people from the enemy and its agents, to declare the whole truth and not to curtail it.

Information bureau
Islamic Resistance Movement
Hamas – Palestine
Saturday 23^rd Jumada Thani 1423H
31^st August 2002AD